Could you imagine the breathing checks that went on a hundred years ago, before we had the top of the line, best video monitors that could detect apnea and movement and the faintest of whimpers? You know what I’m talking about. You tiptoe into the nursery and put your finger right under your baby’s nose- checking to make sure she’s still breathing. With all the monitors and contraptions available to us today, we still check and re-check. So, imagine what it was like before they had all these devices designed to give moms reassurance.
Technology has definitely brought moms everywhere a peace of mind when it comes to laying their newborn bundles down in the other room. But, with so many options available, finding your video monitor can be as hard as finding your Starbucks drink.
We’re here to help. Here are SmartMom’s best video monitors and why we love them…
Motorola MBP 36 Digital Video Baby Monitor with 3.5 Color Screen & Wireless Pan/Tilt/Zoom Camera
Of all the SmartMoms I asked and all the websites I visited, this was the monitor that everyone was raving about! It tilts – it pans – it zooms. You won’t have trouble finding your little rug rat, no matter where she scoots off to in her crib. The camera works so well, one mom friend of mine said she could even tell when her son has a wet spot on his pants. You can adjust the volume, brightness, and even talk to baby through the microphone. You can also add multiple cameras and it will scan between them continuously, so at night, you can keep an eye/ear on multiple children using only one handset. Pretty great, if you ask us. Another cool feature is that you can see what the temperature is in the baby’s room. Don’t you have some of those rooms in your house where you walk in and they are freezing even though the hallway is warm? Well, right on your handset, you can see exactly what the temperature is in your baby’s room. It’s a little on the pricey side, but this is something that is worth your buck. You want reliability when it comes to the safety of your baby.
Foscam FI8918W Wireless/Wired Pan & Tilt IP/ Netweor Camera with 9 Meter Night Vision and 3.6mm Lens
Looking for something a little easier on the wallet? Try a Foscam. You still get night vision, recording, pre-set camera angles, easy mounting, smart-phone connectivity from anywhere in the world…and for less than $60!? You can’t beat that.
Summer Infant Baby Touch Digital Color Video Monitor
Summer Infant is a well-known and trusted brand loved by moms. This particular camera tilts, pans, and zooms remotely. You can talk to your baby through the microphone. You can dim the screen at night. And, a big plus is that it’s easy to carry around. There’s a sound indicator on it too that allows you to know if your baby is crying, even when the screen is off.
Have you ever met an Apple product you didn’t trust? We certainly haven’t. And lucky for us, Apple now has its own baby monitor, named, of course, the iBaby. Surprisingly, this one is significantly cheaper than most of the high-end monitors on the market, listed at only $129.95 on the Apple Store’s website (at the time this article was written).
Some of it’s desirable features are it’s rechargeable battery, it’s two-way audio so you can talk to your baby, and the ability to save photos to your iPhone and app libraries. Like many monitors on the market, you can peek in on your baby from your devices and so can the grandparents all the way in the Carolinas! When baby’s movements activate the motion sensors, the iBaby View app automatically saves photos for you. Pretty great. Plus, it’s great to be able to check on your baby from your phone or iPad – something you’re already carrying around with you all the time. Working parents will get a kick out of peeking in on baby while they’re at the office.
There are so many different monitors with so many bells and whistles to choose from, so which monitor you pick is a completely personal choice, based on what you’re looking for. But, all of these have gotten rave reviews from SmartMoms. Good luck with your selection and happy monitoring! Need helping getting your little one to sleep? Check out this article for more info.
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